Brett Dean, Hamlet (2017)

This is my fiftieth twenty-first-century opera.  I thought you'd want to know that, even though I'm definitely wrong.  There are many operatic Hamlets, of course, but before this, the only one regularly performed was Thomas'. But this...is a completely different beast.

Do you know about Hamlet? It's a well-known play by a well-known playwright named William Shakespeare. Although some people think that his works were actually written by another man of that name. But in any case, I should stop babbling. The story of Hamlet is the story of this, more or less. Unlike the Thomas version, it's clear that composer and librettist are actually familiar with the play. It features a fair amount of original dialogue, albeit sometimes from different versions of the manuscript and always severely chopped and screwed for a kind of shock-of-the-new alienation effect that works well (two of the players argue about whether it should be "too too solid flesh," or "sullied"). Also, it features Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern (countertenor roles, a surprising choice that works well), and much larger parts for Horatio and Polonius than Thomas. Still no Fortinbras, however.

The music is this kind of ghostly, fragmented thing. I think it's pretty great. It's not better than the Thomas version because it's more faithful to the text or more self-aware of whatever; it's just better because it's better. You can watch it here if desired. the title role is played by Allan Clayton, and, well, I think that casting is also trying to mess with our expectations, because--with no judgment implied in this statement--he's a fat guy with a big bushy beard, which is not how I think of Hamlet (although my image of him as a consumptive romantic hero is clearly anachronistic). Still, you get used to him, and he's really good. Also notable is Barbara Hannigan as Ophelia. She really gives it her all, especially in her mad scene, which is possibly the best such thing I've ever seen, though I'd have to revisit Lucia di Lammermoor to say for sure. Other highlights are Rod Gilfry (who I found totally unrecognizable throughout) as Claudius and John Tomlinson bringing some spooky gravitas to his triple role as the Ghost, Gravedigger, and Lead Player.

I'm not talking about a specific character here, but I must highlight the climactic duel scene at the end, which is absolutely incredible. There's this chorus while Hamlet and Laertes are fighting chanting from what I assume must be an authentic fencing manual of the time, which is kind of bizarre but amazing and the whole thing is just so apocalyptic. You're kind of wishing for Fortinbras in fact to show up just to show us, don't worry, this isn't literally the end of the world; there's some kind of renewal. But nope! I mean, not that I'm complaining. This is a great opera, and if we can only have one Hamlet, it's definitely my preference.